Hermetic-sealing apparatus.



No. 889,475. PATENTED JUNE 2. 1908. J. MERRITT.

HERMETIG SEALING APPARATUS. APPLIGATION FILED 1m35.190s. 2 SHEETS-SHEET2.

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UNTTED STATES4 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MERRITT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM A. LORENZ AN-D ONE-FOURTH TOWILLIAM H. HONISS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND ONE-HALF TO BEECH-NUTPACKING COM- y.. PANY, OF CANAJOHARIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

HERMETIC-SEALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJune 2, 1908.

To all 'who/m it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MERRIT'T, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inI-Iermetic- Sealing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact speciiication.

This invention relates to ap aratus for hermetically sealing jars of thec ass in which a moreor less complete Vacuum is formed within the jarand the cap or cover is retained in place by the outside atmosphericpressure, which presses the cap down upon an elastic gasket insertedbetweenv the cap andthe jar.

This invention is herein shown in connection with apparatus in which,after a suitable vacuum is obtained within and around the jars, the jarcaps are pressed firmly down before and during the readmission of theatmospheric pressure to the ars, thus finally and securely sealing theclosures without leaving any chance for the readmitted air to enter theclosure joints, and thus destroy or diminish the vacuum in the jars. Insealing these jars on a commercial scale, it is desirable to operatesimultaneously upon a number of jars In thus operating upon a group ofjars, the difficulty is encountered that the tops of the caps are ofdifferent heights from the base or tray on which the jars rest, causedby variations incident to the commercial manufacture of the jar, thegasket and the cap. Therefore, if the group of caps were to be presseddown by a single level platform, the pressure would be distributedunevenly on the jars, because of their varying heights. The taller jars,and sometimes only one or two of them, would receive all of thepressure, leaving the shorter ars either without pressure, or with anamount of pressure insufficient to securely close the joint against thereadmission of air.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved means fordistributing the sealing ressure with substantial equality upon allD ofthe jars, regardless of their height. This distribution is effected bymeans of a set or series of equalizing levers interposed between a setof individual jar pressers, and the motive power, which is herein shownas being obtained by the operation of atmospheric pressure.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view in section lon the line 1-4 ofFig. 2, of a sealing apparatus with the present invention incorporatedtherein, and shows the parts in position for exhaustion. Figs. 2 and 3are end views of Fig. 1 in section on the lines 2 2 and 3--3,respectively. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of Fig. 1 and shows thepressers and connections at the close of the cap pressing operation.Fig. 5 is a plan of the presser apparatus with the Apresser guide plateremoved. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the arrangement and connections ofthe yokes and pressers. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a modifiedarrangement of the yokes and pressers.

The ar chamber 11 is preferably of a cylindrical form inclosed by theshell 12. A door 15 adapted to be closed hermetically gives access tothe interior of the chamber. Brackets 14 secured to or resting upon theshell 12 sustain the base 13 upon which rests the ar tray 17 whichregisters and supports aset of ars J in proper positions during theexhausting and sealing operations. Connection with suitable exhaustingapparatus is made through the opening 20 and the pipe 21, and iscontrolled by the cock 22. A cock 23 is also provided through whichcommunication with the outside air may be had.

Above the base 13 and supported thereon by the uprights 26 is thepresser guide plate 25 through which the stems 35 to 42 of the jarpressers 27 to 34 extend. The pressers are so disposed that each one isover a jar J when the tray 17 is properly placed on the base 13. The sixpresser stems 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42 (Fig. 5), are loosely pivoted inpairs at 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50, respectively to the ends of the threeplain primary lever yokes 56, 57 and 5S. The two presser stems 37 and 38are loosely pivoted at 45 and 46 respectively to the cross bar 60 of theT- shaped primary yoke 59, the shank of which fits loosely at its end 61into a hole formed in the plain primary yoke 56 between the pivots 43and 44. The shank of the small T yoke 59 fits loosely near its centerinto a hole formed in the shank end 64 of the secondary T yoke 63(Fig. 1) while the cross bar 65 of the latter yokefits loosely at itsends 66 and 67 into the two plain primary yokes 57 and 58. Near itscenter the secondary yoke 63 is loosely pivoted at 69 to the two cranklevers 68 fulcrumed at 70 in lugs 71 appurte- .pipe 89 with the exhaustpipe 21.

nant to the presser plate 25. The other ends of the two crank levers 68are pivoted at 72 to the rod 76, which is connected with the upper endsof the levers 77 fulcrumed at 78 in lugs 8O appurtenant to the presserplate tending the rod 82 through a stuffing box in the shell. The motorherein shown, is however, inclosed within vthe shell and is adapted tobe operated by atmospheric pressure. The cylinder 84 is secured atthe-rear end of the jar chamber l1, and contains a piston or diaphragm83, provided with the piston rod 82, which may be guided bythe guides85. The inner end of the cylinder is open to the vacuum chamber, whilethe piston chamber 87 on the other side of the piston 83 communicates bymeans of the opening 88 and the A cock 90 controls communication throughthe pipe 89 and a cock 91 communicates with the vatmosphere, or it maybe made to communicate with any suitable or convenient supply of steam,water, or air pressure.

The operation of the devices is as follows, it being assumed thatatmospheric pressure is utilized in connection with the cock 9-1. Thetray 17 with its complement of jars J ready for sealing, is placed inproper position within the jar chamber 11 so that the jar caps C arebeneath their respective pressers. The door 15 is now closed, the cocks23 and 91 are closed, and the cocks 22 and 90 opened, all parts beingnow in the position shown in Fig. 1. This enables the jar chamber 11 andthe piston chamber 87 to be exhausted through the pipes 21 and 89, thecaps C being free to lift sufliciently to permit the air to also passout from the interior of the jars. Vhen the desired degree of vacuum hasbeen obtained, the cock 90 is closed and the cock 91 opened thusadmitting atmospheric pressure to the rear side of the piston 83 whilethe vacuum still exists on its front side. This moves the piston towardsthe front end of the jar chamber 11, and draws the connecting rod 76towards' the rear end of the chamber by means of the levers 77, therebyswinging the crank levers 68 and drawing the secondary T yoke 63downward through the connection 69 at its center. The yoke 63 impartsdownward movement to the primary yokes 59 through its connectionstherewith. Downward movement is thus imparted simultaneously to all theeight pressers of the set, thus bringing themv into engagement withuniform pressure upon their respective caps yokes, the extremities oneach yoke readily shifting their positions till the pressure isequalized upon all the pressers. The cock 22 may now be closed andthe'cock 23 opened,

thus admitting airto the jar chamber 11 and I releasing the pressersfrom the caps C by equalizing the pressure on both sides of the piston83, by the ltime the full atmospheric pressure takes effect upon theclosures themselves. Having thus transferred control of the closures tothe katmospheric pressure, which is henceforth to hold them, the cock 91is closed andthe cock 9() opened, the air in the piston chamber 87 willbe exhausted thus enabling Vthe atmospheric pressure in the ar chamber-11 to move the piston 83 back to its original position, thereby liftingall the pressers upward so that they once more occupy the position shownin Fig. l. Or the parts may be `returned to their position first bymeans of a suitably placed spring or springs 75.

In case one or more jars are lacking from the vfull number, the pressersover vthe vacant places will move downward until the collars 51 of theirrespective stems come in contact with the top of the plate 25, thusstopping them, and enabling the other pressers to exert their vpressureproperly on their respective ars.

It will be readily understood that the various joints where the pressersare connected to the yokes and the yokes to each other, may beconstructed in a number of ways other than those shown in the drawings.Freedom of movement in the joints is however advisable as affording asimple means for ermitti-ng the pressures to promptly equa 'ze at allpoints.

It is also possible to operate the pressing devices by means of a seriesof plain yokes of increasing size similar in operation to the smallplain yokes 56, -57 and 58. This is illustrated in the diagram, whereinis shown a series of twelve pressers 93 operated by pressure receivedsuccessively through the yokes 94, l95, 96 and 97, from a single point98 on the yoke 97, each yoke transmitting its power from its two endsand receiving its power from a point between its ends. This receivingpoint should be located midway between the end connections if an equalamount of power is to be transmitted from each end. l/Vhere, however,this amount required is less at one end of the yoke than at the other,the receiving point should be proportionally close to the end which musttransmit the most power. This is clearly seen in the case of the yoke97, the receiving point 98 being located twice as far from the yoke 95as from the yoke 96, since the yoke 96 operates eight pressers while theyoke 95 operates only four.

Although it is thought preferable to operate the presser by means of apiston or some similar device by which the atmospheric pressure may beutilized, it is obvious that many other means may be employed and may beoperated either from within or without the jar chamber. In the lattercase the pressing devices may be operated by a rod passing 'through astufIing-box in the shell 12 and operated by any suitable source ofpower. Obviously, the amount of pressure exerted upon each Y resserrelative to` the total pressure upon t ie operating piston will dependupon the purchase or leverage of the connecting levers. It is preferableto have the cylinder on the pressure large enough to exert upon each capa pressure considerably in excess of the atmospheric pressure whichultimately retains the cap in place. Experience has shown that thisexcess of pressure contributes materially to the final security of theseal.

I claim as my invention 1. In jar sealing apparatus, a plurality of jarpressers, a yoke articulately connected' to the plurality of pressers,and means articulately connected to the yoke for exerting pressure uponan intermediate portion of the .v yoke.

2. In a jar sealing apparatus, a plurality of jar pressers, a yokearticulately connected at each of its ends to a presser, and meansarticulately connected to the yoke for exerting pressure upon anintermediate portion of the yoke. l

3. In jar sealing apparatus, a series of jar pressers, a series of yokesarticulately connected to the pressers, and means articulately connectedto the yokes for exerting pressure upon 4an intermediate point of eachyoke.

4. In jar sealing apparatus, a series of jar pressers, aseries of yokesarticulately connected at their ends to the pressers, and meansarticulately connected to the respective yokes for exerting pressureupon an intermediate point of each yoke.

5. In jar sealing apparatus, a plurality of jar pressers, a motor foroperating the pressers, and a plurality of yokes each connected with aplurality of the pressers, each yoke being also connected with the motorat a portion of its length intermediate the connections with thepressers.

6. In jar sealing apparatus, a set of jar pressers, a set of yokes, eachconnected to a plurality of the pressers, and means for exerting uniformpressure upon each of the yokes at portions thereof intermediate theirconnections with the pressers.

7. In jar sealing apparatus, a set of individual ja-r pressers, a set ofprimary yokes each operably connected to a plurality of the pressers, asecondary yoke operably connected to a plurality of theprirnary yokes,and means for exerting pressure upon the secondary yoke.

S. In jar sealing apparatus, a set of individual jar pressers, a set ofprimary yokes, each operably connected at each of its ends to thepressers, a set of secondary yokes each operably connected at each ofits ends to an intermediate portion of a primary yoke, and means forexerting .pressure upon an intermediate portion of each secondary yoke.

9. In jar sealing apparatus, the combination of a plurality ofindividual jar pressers, a motor for operating the pressers, and aseries of equalizing lever connections between the motor and theressers.

10. In jar sea ing apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber forreceiving the j ars, a set of individual pressers for the j ars, amotori piston connecting one side with the vacuum chamber, a series ofequalizing levers connecting the piston with the individual pressers,and means for admitting atmospheric ressure to the other side of thepiston.

11, n ar sealing apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber forreceiving the jars, a set of individual pressers for the jars, a set ofprimary yoke levers, each connected to a plurality-.of the pressers, aset of secondary yoke levers each connected with the primary yoke leversat portions thereof intermediate the connections between'the primarylevers and the pressers, a motor piston operatively connected with thesecondary lever yokes, and communicating on one side with the vacuumchamber, and means for admitting atmospheric pressure to the other sideof the piston.

12. In jar sealing apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber, a setof individual jar pressers, a presser guide plate on which the pressersare mounted for vertical movement, 4a motor, and a series of equalizinglevers carried by the guide plate and operatively connecting the motorand theindividual pressers. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses this third day of March 1906.

` JOSEPH MERRITT. Witnesses:

CAROLINE M. BRECKLE, NELLIE PHOENIX.

